Sex and Female Politicians: The Debate Rages

There has long been a debate about the role of sexuality in the workplace—let's call it the Joan vs. Peggy conundrum: Is seduction an appropriate method for getting ahead? The conversation goes to a whole new level when talking about politicians, where your workplace is the public sector and you answer to an electorate.

Stracquandanio's remarks are absurd (how many sexual partners are we even talking about if you're going to sleep your way to the top in a democracy?) but more importantly, infuriating. It is obviously ridiculous to think that the public could trust a political figure who was awarded a position of influence because of who she slept with. But what's most galling is what he's suggesting: That women may not be capable of succeeding in politics without using their bodies and sleeping around. Female candidates (like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her presidential campaign) already have to contend with a constant analysis of—and in many cases withering comments from opponents about—their looks and how "hot" they are. For our part, we hope that these ridiculous new statements stir up some educated debate about the bigger issue: that a female politician should never be judged for her physical attributes or her sexuality.